The Memory of a Dark Lord
by Honeybat
Summary: On his seventeenth birthday Harry, with the help of Severus, remembers who he really is. AU, crackfic, clichéfic, darkfic. HP-TMR/SS, HP-TMR/SS/HG Slash/Threesome. Nothing overly graphic, mentions of the act, but nothing actually shown in writing. AU; Dumbledore still alive.
1. Chapter 1

**The Memory of a Dark Lord**

by Honeybat

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm just playing with him for fun, not for money.

* * *

**Part One**

Harry Potter woke with a start. He instantly remembered what had happened to him. He'd opened the Dursleys' front door at a polite knock and found himself faced by a smirking Potions Professor and his pointed wand. Before he could even ask what the Professor was doing there - somehow he didn't believe he was there to wish him a happy seventeenth birthday - he was stunned, point blank.

He looked around, as much as he could. He was bound, his wrists and ankles magically fastened to the four corners of a good size four poster bed. The room was large and well lit, it would probably fit into any well appointed manor-house. There were no magical paintings, but several old tapestries with floral motives. Strangely, there seemed to be no oppressing dark aura about the place, like at the Order headquarters.

The door burst open and Snape walked in. The man was smiling, smiling like a loon in Harry's opinion, and he wasn't looking very greasy for once. He closed the door behind him and tossed the large bundle of cloth he was carrying onto a chair next to the bed before even acknowledged Harry.

"What's going on Professor? Why did you do this to me?" he blurted out.

"You're seventeen, Potter. It's time for you to learn the best kept secret of the wizarding world today." The man smirked mischievously and brought out his black wand with a flourish. "Can you guess what it is?"

Harry was surprised at the amicable tone to the reply. Where was the usual disgust and loathing? Harry felt like he'd been hit with a _Confundus_. "No, I really can't. Are you perhaps a woman under all those confining robes, Professor? Have you come to proposition me?" he asked, turning on the cheek.

The professor snorted out a laugh and made a kissy mouth. "Want to snog, do you, Potter?"

Harry made a face in disgust. That one obviously caught him on the return volley. "I think not," he shuddered.

The Professor took a step forwards and put his knee to the bed between Harry's legs. His eyes bore into Harry. "Are you absolutely sure?"

Harry tried to shrink back, but his limbs were tied too taut for that. "What the hell is going on here?" he growled.

The professor whirled away from Harry and instead sat next to him on the bedside. From that comfortable distance, he put his black wand to Harry's temple, as if to extract a pensieve memory. He unsuccessfully tried to squirm away, but the wand easily followed his movement. He didn't hear any incantation, but he could feel magic pulse through his head and focus on his scar. "No! What are you doing to me?"

"Good bye, Harry Potter," his Professor whispered maliciously into his ear.

"Let me refresh your memory. On Halloween of 1981, Lord Voldemort hit you with a killing curse. The curse rebounded. In doing so he split what was left of his soul and half attached itself to your forehead. The Dark Lord's body could not be sustained by what was left and it burned. In knowing his remaining soul could not sustain a living body, he choose to possess the little boy he had just tried to kill. His last bits of soul merged back together in the boy, and in doing so also found out that the young boy's soul had moved on and the body had somehow managed to live with just the tiny piece of the dark lord's soul even if his adult body had not."

Harry blinked, he knew this story. He remembered being trapped in a too small body, barely able to speak. Information flooded through his head. He replied, also with a whisper. "When you found me in a cupboard at the Dursleys', I asked you to block my memories until I was seventeen again, as I did not wish to grow up with my full knowledge and personality...it would have been impossible to hide...Why do I remember that? How could I possibly?"

The Professor, no Severus, grinned. "Welcome back, Tom."

More and more memories flooded his mind, he began remembering things before... "What did you do?" The scar was heating up as more and more of his past was released to his awareness. He squinted his eyes closed and twisted his head back and forth in agony. He grabbed his head in pain when Snape released him from the shackles. His sense of self was twisting, one moment he felt like Harry Potter trying to prevent Voldemort from taking over his mind again, the next moment he was Tom trying to come to terms with being reborn as an enemy of his previous self. Two completely different sets of values clashed violently in his mind even as more and more memories, experiences and emotions surfaced from deep within him.

He squeezed his eyes shut when one last pulse of pain hit him from the scar, before everything went quiet and calm. It was done. "I'm back!" he sighed, relaxing even as he opened his eyes again. He immediately caught the black gaze of Snape, who was affectionately caressing the side of his face, carding his fingers through his hair.

Tom let the affectionate gesture warm him. This man, this wizard, was his partner, his bonded, his lover. Together, they were the Dark Lord Voldemort. Tom looked into the black eyes and returned the smile. "Thank you, Severus." Then he grabbed the man by the neck and pulled him down. "I think I want that snog now," he mumbled before he caught that delicious mouth of his partner's.

The mass of memories settled into his mind, they completely covered the bare ground that had been Harry Potter, completely obscuring the young man's identity. The reality of what had happened that Halloween night had in the end subdued the Harry in him. There was after all no Harry, the boy's soul had been banished by the Killing curse as always, only the tiny piece of Tom had saved the body from death, thus making it possible for Tom to survive.

Seeing Tom had settled, Severus took charge of the situation again. "We better seal everything in place," Severus mumbled and moved the wand tip across his forehead. Several criss-cross movements across the lightning-bolt scar and Tom could feel the flood of memories that had already tapered off settle in their rightful place with a snap. He touched his forehead and found the constantly sore scar to be healed and gone.

"Now for the magical part," Severus continued. "Can't have the most powerful Dark Lord walk around without his power, now can we?" He now moved his wand to chest level. He vanished the ratty t-shirt over to a corner of the room and put his wand to the middle of the breast bone. "Thine power, held in safety by your most trusted, are hereby given back to you, my bonded."

Both of them screamed out in both pleasure and pain as their power again became fully shared between them. Tom's young body sang with the reunited dark power. It overwhelmed him and corrupted him once again. He grabbed his mate and pulled him down for another kiss, he couldn't get enough. The kiss was absolutely delicious. Moments later they were both naked and confirming their old bond.

Afterwards, Severus fell asleep on his chest. He caressed the silky black strands of his lover. "Let's never be apart again," he vowed silently. Their separation had definitely been the hardest for the younger man, who was now the physically older of them. His chest swelled with affection and possessiveness and he realized why Harry Potter had never known true love; even without his true memories, his heart was already taken.

Albus Dumbledore was both right and wrong about Lord Voldemort; he may be without any mercy or conscience and thrived on brutality and bloodshed, but he knew love, he had love and he had been conquered by love. The prophecy had been fulfilled in that Harry Potter and Tom Riddle couldn't both exist at the same time; they were the same person. The Lord Voldemort of Harry's school days weren't same person as before the fall after all. The Voldemort Harry had fought at every turn, that he had supposedly resurrected, now lay in his arms, sleeping contentedly. How ironic.

He held up the hand he'd been caressing Severus with. It was a hand long accustomed to hard labor, calloused and scarred. The nails were dirty and chipped. Testing his returned powers, he brought up the Metamorph power he'd been born with some seventy years ago. The slightly chubby fingers grew long, thin and smoothly pale, he let the nails thicken and darken into claws. This was the hand of the Lord Voldemort Severus had resurrected. Once he'd seen someone, even if only once, the change came instinctively.

Severus stirred above him when he let the change take his whole body. Severus lifted his head and looked into his new face. "Bloody Hell, Tom!" he blurted out and got off the bed.

"What?" he asked mock innocently. "You created this look for me, don't tell me it turns you off now!" He found his new voice to be sibilant and smooth. He ran a hand across his face and it was papery dry and smooth all the way across his head. He had gained some serpentine qualities before the fall, but this was taking it a huge step further, perhaps even too far, he decided.

"It's not like you have to see yourself when you wear that body, now is it?" Severus sneered back. "The intimidation effect is better than anything, but not a face I wish to wake up to in the morning, no!"

Tom laughed. "You like to be all ugly, but you do not want to see it yourself, huh?" He reached out and tweaked Severus on the nose with a claw even as he slipped comfortably back into the body of Tom Riddle he'd worn for decades. It had red, slitted eyes and his eye teeth were sharper than normal, but it was still very much a human face. It was the face he'd used when Severus had fallen in love with him and bonded with him.

"I'm not your young boy lover anymore, Tom. I've lived a hard life while we were apart."

Tom smirked. "Now that I'm back to myself I find that I enjoy your face, even with some added character to it. But, honey, you just have to lose the grease. Please!"

Severus laughed and what had remained of the Potions Master's Greasy Git persona evaporated completely. His face flushed with healthy color, his teeth straightened and paled and said hair surrounded his face in gentle curls. Even with the same hooked and crooked nose, he no longer looked like he was pushing Muggle sixty, more like a healthy Wizarding forty, like Tom himself. "Better, my love?"

Tom pulled him down and kissed him hungrily.

"That was the best birthday I've had since we were separated," he mused when they again rested, this time next to each other on the bed.

Severus did a quick tempus. "It's not over yet, how about we go out for dinner?"

"Good idea, though I'd love to have some fun first. You do realize I haven't killed anyone in years and years." He smirked maliciously. "There's nothing better to work up an appetite than a good massacre. Besides, I haven't eaten more than some dry bread crusts and water for days."

Severus winced. "I'm sorry, dearest. Since the old man started having order members guarding you I couldn't sneak in and dose you. You would have died several times over from malnutrition or excessive beatings if i had not snuck in with potions for you during the early years. It's a disgrace, really. Here you get a chance at a second childhood and that bloody fool Dumbledore blows it all to hell by having you starved and abused."

Tom sighed and shook his head. "Yeah, third time he turned a blind eye and that is just with the two of us." He shook himself out of the depressing thoughts. "Have you made reservations anywhere? Who do we go as?"

"I told Manos to whip us up a feast tonight."

"Olde Town, Rhodes? That's a marvellous idea. That crazy little elf is still with us? Wait, he's Dobby, isn't he?"

Severus nodded. "Besides popping up at Hogwarts whenever you think of him, he still maintains the old manor down there. I've been down a couple times a year, just to get away from all the politics up here. You know I prefer it when you run things, these last few years have been tough."

"No wonder you were such a menace in class," Tom mumbled.

"What was that, Mr Potter?"

"Nothing, Sir," Tom laughed. "I do understand why you were like that, now that I know the real you. I can't even imagine seeing you every day and not being able to be with you, or even talk to you."

* * *

Hermione Granger was celebrating her freedom from the stuffy British wizarding world at a magical dance club in Olde Town, Rhodes. The Greek, or for that matter most southern european wizards and witches, were a lot more relaxed and laid back in their attitudes towards life and the mundane part of the world. After a couple days in the bustling city, she'd just about decided to leave England completely as soon as she finished school. It had shocked her to start with to find her Muggle heritage to be of absolutely no consequence down there.

Magicals had their own district, of course, but other than that they mixed freely with the local mundane population. With their voluminous tan robes and colorful wraps, the local magicals were often mistaken for arabs or africans among the Muggle tourists, and in Hermione's eyes that worked well as a way to hide their true heritage as magicals.

She had bought one of the colorful wraps herself, and this evening when she was searching out one of the dance clubs she wore it on top of a matching red mini dress. She'd bought a pair of the charmed heels she'd seen other young women wear. They were five inches, yet still super comfortable.

She had long ago come to terms with her untamable hair, tonight she wore it like a halo of messy curls around her head, tapering off down her back.

The dance club was surprisingly on the rooftop of a restaurant. This would never have been allowed in the mundane part of town, since the music would have been too disruptive. Here, the wards kept the music to the immediate roof area only. Additionally, the area was charmed so that any human communication could be heard perfectly even through the loud, pounding music. The energy of the place washed over her like a massive wave as she stepped out onto the roof. It was pure magic of all the flavors. She took in the massive amount of bodies dancing. This was certainly more like a London Muggle club than the tame wizarding dancehalls she'd been to around Britain. "This is more like it!" she grinned at the bartender. "Hit me with a Blaster, will ya?" she ordered, sliding two sickles across the counter.

The drink soon slid up to her on the counter. "Welcome to Greece!" the bartender smiled back and swiped the coins.

She nodded and turned towards the room. Leaning on the counter, she sniffed the milky white shot. It was the wizarding version of ouzo and it carried a flaming kick much like the British fire-whiskey. The sharp licorice fumes cleared her airways instantly and she toasted her best friend even if he was far away. "Happy birthday, Harry!"

As intended, the drink energized her and she bounced out onto the dance floor.

The dance floor was a maze of sexual heat. Hermione found herself popular among the wizards in a way she'd never experienced at home. It was a massive free for all, touch, taste and feel orgie that ended very close to full out intercourse. She didn't care, she'd prepared herself with several anti-disease and anti-pregnancy charms and potions. If she found someone she desired, she wouldn't back off.

Her first catch had the most beautiful black eyes, the most luscious black hair framing his face she'd ever seen, a smile to die for and an extremely greek nose he ran down her neck along with his lips. When he pressed her back up against him as they gyrated and bit her ear, she mewled in heated agony. His large hands roamed her belly and ended up kneading her breasts and massaging her nipples.

She let her head fall to his shoulder and closed her eyes. Then suddenly, she had another mouth on the other side of her neck and a hard body against her front. She opened her eyes and found the most perfect man she'd ever seen looking up from her neck with a blazing smile. "Hello, My Goddess!" he purred and used his hand to guide her mouth to his. His touch was pure magic, and her hands ran up his neck into his long dark brown hair. Her fingers tingled at the touch, as did her mouth and front where they touched. Who was this man to move her in such a way, to entice even her magic?

The two men were sharing her between them, and she'd never experienced anything as erotic as to watch the two men kiss and caress not only her but each other. They swept her away.

She didn't know when they switched the club for a large bed dressed in thin white muslin, but that's where she woke up the next morning. Sunshine was flooding in through the open french window and she was in the middle of two sleeping men, both with their arms wrapped around their bed partners. There was no way she could escape either the bed or her mortification.

One of them stirred as she made an attempt to extricate herself from them. "Mmmmm. how is my favorite little know-it-all this morning?" came a dark purr next to her.

She sprung up to sitting position in the blink of a shocked eye. She knew that voice! She turned towards the sleepy guy next to her and in the light of day she realized she was absolutely correct. She felt faint. "P-p-professor S-snape, sir?"

He grinned sleepily at her. "Please, call me Severus," he smirked.

She turned on the bed to check just who the other man in the bed was when _Severus_ elbowed him awake. "Hey, Tom, wakie wakie," he teased, completely un-Snape-like.

The chocolatey brown eyes that opened sleepily and met hers, still stirred her hormones, she immediately realized. Thankfully it didn't seem to be someone she knew. "Morning, Goddess," he mumbled, his mouth turning into a half smile that was absolutely adorable.

"Morning," she mumbled, blushing at his intense scrutiny.

He rested his head on one arm and gently caressed her bare arm with his free hand. He smirked. "I'm Tom Riddle, this is Severus Snape. But you already know him, don't you Hermione?"

His hand was clamped around her wrist before she could fly off the bed. "What?"

The smirk grew. "Yes, young Hermione, you just had wonderful, mind blowing, sex, with the Dark Lord and his partner."

This time she fainted right off. She didn't hear them laugh.

* * *

_soon to be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

**The Memory of a Dark Lord  
****by Honeybat**

**Part Two**

Tom chuckled as he got off the bed to visit the bathroom. "You have to admit that was funny, Severus. The look on her face."

Severus was caressing said girls face as he draped her artfully on the bed. "Yes, who would have thought this is what it takes to flap the unflappable Miss Granger," he purred.

Tom studied them. "You really like her, don't you?"

Severus nodded. "Yes. She's everything we've been looking for in a woman, and then she's pretty too."

"If we can turn her to our side, she would indeed be more to us than a suitable mother for our children." He stepped into the ensuite. "Let's see how this develops, huh?"

Severus nodded and abandoned the bed too. "I'll go tell Manos to start breakfast." He wrapped himself up in a dressing robe he found on a hook by the walk in wardrobe that connected to both the bedroom and bathroom.

Tom was dressing in one of his stylish old greek outfits when he heard an angry buzzing sound from the pile of rags he'd discarded on the floor when they first arrived. He realized what it was when he heard the urgent whispers from next door. "Harry...Harry Potter...please answer...please..."

At first he didn't know what to do about the buzzing communication mirror. Then he decided to prank the girl even more. He cast a silencer on the room he was in so the girl wouldn't hear him, then he morphed his face to that of Harry Potter and conjured a pair of glasses. He flipped open the mirror. "Hermione?"

"Harry! Thank god you're there," Hermione was whispering. It looked like she was hiding behind the bed.

"Hermione, are you alright? What's happening? Are you in danger?" he whispered back himself.

"I'm in Greece, Harry. I was taken by Professor Snape and You-know-who."

Tom made a surprised face. "In Greece? What the bloody hell is HE doing there? And why are you suddenly calling him you-know-who?"

"Harry! I have no problem calling him you-know-what when we're all safe at school, but he's in the effing next room taking an effing shower, all right?"

"Huh? He's taking a shower? Is that a bedroom behind you? Hermione, have you been sniffing the potions again?"

Tom now had a really hard time holding in his mirth. This girl was awesome fun to mess with.

"Harry! This is not funny. I'm in real trouble here!" she indignantly huffed, still trying to be quiet. "Where are you? Still at the Dursleys, or did they move you yesterday? Can you tell the Order I'm in trouble?"

"Yes, I was moved yesterday," Tom confirmed. "One of them is down in the kitchen telling the elf to make us breakfast now." He opened the door to the bedroom and stepped out.

"Are you going down there now? I don't know how much time I have..." she suddenly looked up at Tom who now stood at the end of the bed.

"We have all the time in the world, Hermione," Tom replied, still in his Harry voice and Harry face, even though the rest of his body was still Tom. He flashed the mirror as he snapped it shut. "I forgot I had this in my pocket when Snape picked me up at Privet Drive yesterday."

He hunkered down next to her stunned speechless figure. "Things are not what they seem, Hermione. I am Tom Riddle, yes. Up until yesterday I was also Harry Potter. The Voldemort you know, the one resurrected a year ago, that is actually Severus creation. I wasn't banished into a spectre when I tried to kill Harry Potter, what was left of me was attached to little Harry's body. The real Harry died from the curse, so you could say, Harry and I are one and the same. Thanks to Severus, I now remember my full life and I have my full power back." He morphed back to his Tom countenance and removed the glasses. "I'm a Metamorph, so I can look pretty much like anyone I want."

"Breakfast is served," Severus cut in, arriving at the door. "I'll just be a few minutes," he told completely ignoring the intense look between the two already in the room.

She was shaking her head, grabbing at her hair. "This is too much," she mumbled.

He gently grabbed her hands and held them to his chest with one hand as he turned her head up with the other. "Hermione. Yes, I am ruthless, without much of a conscience, and I enjoy causing pain and suffering to my enemies. But, I swear on my immortal soul that you have _nothing_ to fear from me, or from Severus. We'll make you our Queen. The Death Eaters will eat out of your hand, lick your feet clean or wash your parents' car every Sunday. Do you understand me? We connected with you last night so powerfully that we will never again be complete without you."

When he removed his hand from her chin to caress her cheek and hair, she was gaping at him in complete awe. "Is that why my magic sings when you touch me?" she whispered.

He nodded. "Yes. Yes, you feel it too!" He leaned forwards and kissed her gently, yet their magic almost exploded at the contact.

"Kissing Victor, Ron or anyone else was never like this," she moved forwards and they kissed again, this time with more heat.

"Hey!" came a bark from across the room. "Breakfast first!" Tom chuckled and rose from his kneeling position on the floor. He held out his hands to help her up.

She only hesitated briefly. The sheet she had wrapped around her sagged and she quickly pulled back one of her hands to protect her flagging modesty.

"Go have a shower, Goddess, I'll find you something suitable to wear today."

She nodded and fled to the bathroom still wrapped in the sheet.

"That went better than expected," Severus noted.

"I'm not so sure. She may not be yelling and screaming, but once she processes what I told her, there will be the questions."

"Indeed," Severus agreed. "And this time it's our turn to answer the know-it-all."

"No matter what, all we have to do to shut her up is show her the library."

Severus chuckled. "We'll never be rid of her."

Tom almost dropped the mirror when it buzzed again. He looked at it suspiciously and immediately noted Hermione's mirror was on the bed. Too bad there was no caller ID on these, you had to open then to see who was calling. "Who's calling now?"

"They must have realized I took you by now," Severus noted. "I wouldn't be surprised if it's the old coot himself."

This time he needed to be more careful when he answered. He tossed the head-cloth and turned his tan robes black and anonymous as he reached for the glasses and morphed fully into Harry Potter. He walked into the wardrobe and locked the door to the bathroom even as he warded it for sound. Dosing the light to make the surroundings hard to distinguish, he also hid the clothes racks. What remained was a small indistinguishable room.

He flipped the mirror open. "Hello?" he replied neutrally.

"Harry, my boy!" came the worried voice of the Headmaster.

"Professor Dumbledore? Why are you on the mirror network my friends and I use?" He tried his best to sound clueless.

"Are you alright, Harry? Where are you?"

"Of course I'm alright. Why wouldn't I be? I'm at the new safe house. Snape came and brought me here yesterday, just like your letter told me he would." Tom had to really fight not to cackle in glee over the old man's confused face.

"I did not write such a letter, Harry. I fear I misjudged Professor Snape, he is working for Voldemort after all. Can you tell me where he took you?"

Tom shook his head. "I'm not the secret keeper professor." He looked up at Severus and aimed his next words above the mirror's edge. "Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore is on the mirror. Could you tell him we're not abducted or anything?"

Snape hurriedly turned ugly as he took the mirror. Tom smirked even as he bit his thumb to keep from laughing.

"Headmaster," Severus nodded in his Professor manner. "I fear we have another spy amongst our ranks. The Dark Lord knew all our plans for Potter. We are lucky I found out in time. We are now at my personal safe-house. Until you flush out the spy, I will care for the boy here."

Tom nodded, good piece of acting of Severus'. All the panic seemed to leave the old man's voice and manners then. "Thank Merlin we have _someone_ who knows when to act quickly to avoid disaster. Dung slept through his shift yesterday and when Tonks arrived this morning the boy was gone. Petunia told us you just stunned the boy and left. The others feared the worst."

Severus snorted derisively. "I'm not the leak here, find the traitor," he snarled and shut the mirror with a snap. He instantly switched the snarl with a delightly evil grin.

Hermione opened the door to the room. "What are you doing in there? I thought you were going to find me a dress?"

Tom again morphed from Harry to Tom seamlessly. "Dumbledore called. We had to make up a quick story to cover up my whereabouts." He picked up the head-cloth again and put it on as he banished the glasses.

Severus turned towards one of the cupboards in there and swung the doors open. "Should be female clothes in here," he told with a wave. "They're kinda out of date. Perhaps they can be considered vintage these days, though."

It seemed it hit Hermione for the first time that she was in the company of two gay or bi men who apparently liked to morph their bodies in a multitude of ways. She was blushing prettily as he went through the clothes.

Tom sniffed her newly washed hair from behind and reached for one of the tan sun-dresses and a flowery wrap in red acromantula silk. "How about this one, Goddess? The style suited you very well last night."

She started at his action, apparently very aware now who he was. Tom chuckled at Hermione's hesitant movements as she accepted the dress and wriggled into the stretchy material. "You look gorgeous, my Lady," he smirked appreciatively, eyes caressing her blushing countenance.

He carefully wrapped the silk around her, caressing her shoulders and arms, never letting her eyes leave his. He leaned in for another kiss and was met with equal desire. Her hands ran down his chest and around his waist. She drew him close.

"Now fellas, I know the warming charms can hold the food warm indefinitely, but it always taste better the first half hour. Especially Manos' eggs."

"Who's Manos?" asked their female companion as she disengaged Tom's lips to look at Severus.

"He's our housekeeper, the craziest elf you've ever met!" Severus replied and winked at Tom.

Hermione glared at them, but didn't speak up for the elf's freedom, this time. Perhaps she thought it a lost cause with the Dark Lord.

She stopped dead in the kitchen when she realized just who the elf they were talking about was. He was wearing multiple socks and hats, all made by her in her third year "Dobby?"

The elf ran happily towards them "Master Tom, Master Tom, you's back!" he wailed as he hugged his legs and feet. Tom kneeled and squeezed the little creature's shoulders affectionately. "Yes, i'm back, Manos."

"I's so sad when Master not recognize me anymore. I's so happy you's back, Master."

"You were faithful still, oh crazy one." He picked off a hat. "And still proud to be free, too." He looked up at the very confused Hermione.

"Oh yes, MIssy Hermy made these for me. Wonderful, she is," the elf bobbed his head enthusiastically and then he was hugging Hermione's legs too. "Thank you's Missy Hermy..." he looked towards Tom again. "Missy be new Lady? Manos soon have new Masters to take care of?"

Hermione gasped in shock over the suggestion, but Tom just hummed, nodding thoughtfully. "Perhaps, Manos. Perhaps. We'll have to convince her first," he winked.

* * *

Hermione rested lazily under the umbrella. Sipping a cool drink in the shade, watching people playing in the water, was one of the many things she loved about vacationing at the Mediterranean. The entertainment this afternoon was so baffling it beat any book. She was watching the Greasy Git, Bat of the Dungeons Severus Snape and the bloody Dark Lord himself toss a frisbee between them in the surf. They were laughing.

At home in Britain the war was in full swing, people were killed in raids every day. And here was Voldemort throwing a frisbee and laughing on a beach. Herself, she was trying to wrap her mind around her new desire for said Dark Lord. She blushed when she remembered how he had cornered her at the local taverna loo and given her the fuck of her life up against the hard tiled wall. She was mortified at his complete lack of shame. She shook her head, perhaps the Dark Lordy side of this man was showing after all, in his complete lack of inhibitions.

She couldn't help but wonder how being Harry Potter had affected him. Since the change had been so recently, she had a feeling he didn't know the answer to that question himself.

Suddenly Severus yelped in pain and dropped the frisbee. He easily picked it up again and the two guys walked back to her location.

"Playtime's over for this time, my dear," Tom told Hermione even as he gathered their belongings. Since they were on a mixed Magic and Muggle beach, they pulled on their robes and walked to the parking area above the beach. Hidden behind the cars, Tom side-along apparated Hermione back to their house, since the wards didn't allow anyone but Tom and Severus to apparate or portkey in unaccompanied.

Tom and Severus looked apparently silently at each other for a moment when they were back. Until Tom spoke up. "Okay, you'll have to do the present version of Voldemort, Severus. Since he's your creation, I'm not sure i can do good enough a job on this short notice. I'll be you, I know you well enough for that." He looked towards Hermione. "You'll be the new Apprentice," he looked thoughtful then waved his wand. "Let's not reveal who you are just yet," he mumbled and when she looked down she realized she was no longer a woman. And while her body was still slight it looked and felt more athletic. Long, straight, electric blue hair fell over her shoulders. The next moment, she was encased in layers of black dragonhide body armor and a top layer of silk with an asian cut to it.

She looked up and found Tom already looking like Severus Snape after a good many hours in the Potions lab, complete with the body odor and shitty attitude. She blinked, for a moment uncertain if Severus had exited the bathroom and switched with Tom without her noticing.

That was until the door swung open. Hermione gulped nervously. In front of her stood Lord Voldemort himself in full glory. Even Tom seemed to shudder when he laid eyes on the monster. "That is one scary look, dude," Tom broke character to note.

What he got in return was an angry red glare that sent shivers down Hermione's back. "Do not joke with me when I am like this!" the words were sibilant and dripped with anger and malicious intent.

Hermione gasped when Tom immediately sank to his knees and bowed his head to the ground. "I apologize, My Lord." He then kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes.

"Watch your tongue, Death Eater," Voldemort spat coldly.

Severus crawled backwards and somehow managed to get back on his feet while still looking and behaving like a whipped dog trying to please his Master.

The Monster turned towards Hermione. "You may be my Apprentice, but you still have to abide by the protocol." He gestured towards the ground in front of him. "Your turn."

She hesitated.

Severus spoke up beside her. "If you hesitate at the meeting, he'll have to crucio you."

"What?"

Then she was screaming on the floor, the pain worse than she'd ever imagined when Harry described it. It must have been over almost immediately, but the fire in her veins remained. A voice hissed in her ear. "Thiss iss not a game, Miss Granger." She shivered violently. He rose and stepped away again. "Shall we try again?"

This time she'd learned her lesson. She had to play her part. She bowed and kissed the edge of his robe flawlessly this time. "Forgive me, My Lord," she echoed Tom's previous words.

Voldemort nodded curtly. "At the meeting, Severus will take his place amongst the inner circle, you will arrive with me, walk three steps behind me and then when I take my seat you will bow and take your place on my left side and Lucius on my right; as he was released from prison last week and is still my second in command. Are we in agreement?"

"Yes, My Lord," the two in front of him immediately responded.

Voldemort nodded and waved his wand. Tom and Hermione were immediately shrouded in Death Eater garb, Tom with Severus silver Mask and Hermione spotted gold when she glanced down. She touched her face and found her fingertips lengthened into claws made of the same golden material. The Mask felt like a part of her face. It was a strange feeling to realize that for all intents and purposes she was now a fully garbed Death Eater.

Severus, no Tom, leaned close and whispered. "Whatever you do, do NOT disobey him. Whatever he asks, do it without hesitation."

Swallowing the nervous lump in her throat, she nodded and wondered if Tom too was nervous. This would be his first meeting in sixteen years, after all. Before she could ask, Voldemort clamped a hand on her shoulder and she was apparated away.

They arrived in a mansion overflowing with the most gaudy decoration she had ever seen. Voldemort strode ahead down the hall without a word, his cloak billowed even more dramatically than Snape's. She followed, three paces behind as ordered and tried not to gawk at the gilded swans, diamond roses and haughty portraits following them down the hall.

"Lucius, what is so important it couldn't wait until the meeting this evening?" Voldemort barked even as he burst into Lucius' private study as if it had been the Potions classroom at Hogwarts.

The usually so proud and haughty Pureblood was immediately out of his chair and on his knees before his Lord. Hermione found it absolutely hilarious. Thankfully, the Mask made it easy to remain blank and emotionless on the surface. "The Order, My Lord. They have taken to interrogating their own members with Veritaserum this afternoon. Our spies will undoubtedly be revealed when it's their turn to answer questions."

Voldemort grabbed the Malfoy Lord around the throat and lifted him up to his eye-level. "Do you think me an amateur, Malfoy?" the man tried to shake his head as he gurgled for air.

"Do you think I would send anyone to spy on the enemy without proper protection?" Again Malfoy tried to shake his head no.

"As long as I am alive and have a body, their loyalties and any sensitive information are protected in their minds, even from mind reading and truth serum."

"You may be the top dog at the Ministry, Malfoy, but you better remember it is on my orders. If you do not step in line, I will replace you." He leaned even closer and Hermione could see the elder Malfoy's cringe. "Do you understand?" he hissed menacingly and tossed the gasping wizard back into his chair.

"Yes, My Lord," Malfoy gasped as he nodded like an over eager house elf. So this is what it takes to break the man out of his haughty attitude, she mused silently.

Voldemort completely ignored the Malfoy Lord now. "Come, Apprentice. We might as well call the meeting now, since we're already here." She nodded and followed, she too ignoring the gasping man behind the desk.

She found it absolutely surreal to stand next to Voldemort and watch the mass of Masked Death Eaters arrive and pay their respects. It was also rather strange that in the line in front of her stood the real Dark Lord, pretending to be just another follower. Harry Potter stood as just another follower. Hermione Granger was Voldemort's Apprentice. She suppressed a shudder of pleasure when the Dark energy washed over her.

Soon, something was happening that she had not expected. The Dark Energy around her was arousing her male body to the point of bursting. When the Dark Lord cast a _Crucio_ on a failure of a servant, the burst of magic made her come. She was mortified. Especially when Voldemort turned towards her with a toothy grin. "Got off on that, did you, Apprentice?"

She nodded. "Yes, My Lord," she whispered reverently.

Then he ignored her again, but as the meeting progressed, she found herself lost to the sensations around her. Now she knew why they were called _Revels_. When the meeting was winding down; everyone had given their reports and received new orders; he stood and spoke up. "Tonight, my followers, I have news. Beside me stands my new Apprentice. At this time, you shall know him by the golden Mask only. Should you come across him away from my presence, know that he speaks for me. Should he give you an order, you will obey: as if it was me."

"Yes, My Lord!" the full assembly chanted.

"Severus Snape. Next meeting you will bring me Harry Potter and take your rightful place at my side as my second in command."

A shocked murmur traveled across the room. "Yes, my followers. Severus here has the boy. By next month, he will be ready to listen."

Suddenly the whole room was chanting in glee. "Master, Master, Master!" Hermione found herself chanting along.

Then the meeting was over and Voldemort strode off. Hermione hurried after, suddenly afraid to be left behind. They apparated from the lobby they arrived in. Moments later they were back in the bedroom in Rhodes.

Voldemort's confident stride faltered and he sank down onto the bed. Head rested in his hands, he leaned forward. He looked sick. Then his disgusting features melted away and his whole body seemed to just...relax into the features of Severus Snape. When he looked up, his eyes were once again black and haunted. The real man behind the mask was back. He waved the pale yew wand and all her changes went away as well. She walked over to him and sat down next to him. They said nothing for several moments.

"You did well, Miss Granger," came his normal voice.

"I'm having a hard time imagining all that was just an act, Professor."

"Occlumency, Miss Granger, is a both wonderful and terrible tool. When I shut my humanity off behind a wall; what you just experienced is what remains."

"What you experienced is also what remains when you split your soul too many times, Hermione," another voice came from across the room. Tom had arrived. "Before I met Severus I had precious little humanity left in me. What remained though, was enough to fall for the haunted sixteen-year-old. When we bonded, more of my humanity returned, or perhaps I should say; I borrowed some of his. In return, Severus became less. I had found love and knew to feel affection for my bonded, but I was still very unstable. Not until now, I've really come to my full senses."

Severus was off the bed and the two men hugged fiercely. Hermione found it quite touching. When they parted, Tom caressed Severus face. "The meeting today has opened my eyes fully, Severus. I'm afraid your 'resurrection' have been in vain. I cannot return to what I once was." He turned towards Hermione. "Yes, the Harry in me recoils just as violently as I am at the very thought of returning to 'that'."

"Do not worry, Tom. I have several contingency plans ready to go. Or we can come up with something new, your choice, My Lord," he amended.

Tom nodded. "Yes, we have a lot to think about. Why don't we take the rest of the evening and try to come to terms?" He again turned towards Hermione. "Especially you, Hermione. Both Severus and I agree that we want you to be a part of our team. You'll be an equal partner. But, please do remember this will not be any new Golden Trio. We will not be fighting any Dark Lord. We ARE the Dark. The methods will change, but the aim is still to conquer Britain and the world. Think about it, okay?"

She nodded. "What if I say no?"

Tom nodded. "Yes, you may tell us no. I will obliviate everything that happened since you met us, and you'll return to Britain as our enemy. I will be disappointed, but there will be no second chances. Next time we meet, the only mercy i will show you is to give you a quick death."

She gulped. "I appreciate your honesty, Tom."

Severus wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her out of the room. "Come, my favorite little know-it-all, I'll sweeten the deal for you," he smirked. By then, he seemed to have thrown off the effects of being Voldemort completely, even the haunted look in his eyes was gone. He seemed playful, something she'd never imagined seeing in her Potions Master. Then again, the Potions Master was just another of the roles he played, wasn't it?

She gasped in awe when the stone steps they descended opened up into a large underground chamber. The ceiling was a replica of the Hogwarts Great Hall, except this showed the bright sunshine of mid day Greece even though it was now beginning to near dusk. "This is one of our half dozen libraries spread across the globe. It's dedicated to Ancient Greece and Mesopotamia and contains both Light and Dark tomes, since it was our aim to have as complete a record of both ancient and current Magics as possible."

"What else do you have, and where?" she asked, heart beating faster all of a sudden at the thought of this being only a fraction of the total information in their possession.

He laughed at her greedy question. "Our Roman villa has everything about the Roman Empire, I'd say it's at least thrice as large as this one. In Alexandria, we have a private portal to their famous library as well as a modest collection of ancient Egyptian scrolls ourselves. In Scotland we have Slytherin Castle, with our British, Celtic and Nordic collections. There's our Peruvian pyramid with collections about ancient American cultures like Incan and Mayan as well as those farther south in the Amazonas. In Beijing there's an ancient secret entrance to the royal library. Oh, and I'm not counting the fact that any scroll, tome or tapestry from any collection can be called up at a moment's notice from anywhere we are located," he winked.

Hermione was almost swooning now. "And is this only Magical knowledge?"

He laughed. "Of course not. If can deliver a book, we have it as well."

She blinked and stared at him. Did he just reference The Internet?

"Hermione. knowledge is knowledge, no matter how you come by it. I have a feeling scrolls and books are about to become obsolete in the near future. The Dark Lord and I aim to live forever, don't you think we also aim to follow the times, even if they are mundane times?" He held out an arm and pointed to a far corner. When she looked she found a state of the art computer system on a table. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Dear girl, you've only scratched the surface of all the knowledge in the world that are at your fingertips."

She staggered over to one of the tables and sank down onto a chair. "This is...how..." she looked up at him. "How could I possibly turn you down? Even without Harry being gone, how could I have given this up?" she sighed.

"You'll have love, you'll have power, you'll have knowledge and you do not have to betray Harry for it. What more would you want of life, girl? Think about it, you have until morning. Call Manos when you need something to eat or drink." He nodded and left without further words. She didn't stop him.

* * *

soon to be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

**Part Three**

Late that evening, Hermione's mirror buzzed unexpectedly. She stared at it, very uncertain if she should answer it. "Manos!" she called.

"Lady, what can Manos do for yous?"

"Tell Tom my mirror is calling. What should I do?"

"Manos will check, Lady," the little creature disappeared. Hermione still had difficulty believing the little elf had fooled them all so thoroughly at Hogwarts. Though, if any elf was capable of deception, it would be Dobby, she figured.

Waiting for Tom or Severus to arrive it occurred to her that this would have been the perfect opportunity to betray the two men. She could have told someone at home everything.

Then again, when Tom stepped into the library with his own mirror open and a smirk on his face; she knew it had been a test. "I just wanted to know if you're coming to bed?" He asked as he snapped his mirror shut and hers stopped buzzing. "We really should charm our own set, huh?"

She stood. "I have made my choice, Tom. I will be joining you and Severus. There was never any other choice I could make, was there? Just like Severus, I've again and again swore to you that I'll stand by your side. I'll not go back on my word just because you are not who we thought you were."

He held out his arms and she walked into them. He embraced her and for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was coming home; like she truly belonged. "We will bond tomorrow," he whispered and in the blink of an eye he had apparated them to the bedroom.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione once again woke up cuddled up to her men; her Dark Lord spooning her from behind and her Dark Prince acting as her perfect pillow and squeezy toy. The warm breeze from the open window caressed her naked skin. She sighed, she wanted this lazy break from her 'real' life to never end.

"Are you ready to bond today, my Goddess?" asked a sleepy voice from behind her. His strong arms snaked around her middle, pressing her up against him.

She smiled into her pillow. "Yes, I am."

"Then why the sigh?"

"How in the world do I explain this situation to my very Muggle, and while open minded, very traditional, parents?" She rolled over onto her back to meet the eyes of her Dark Lord. "'Mum, Dad, you'll never guess what I did last night. I got married! This is my new husband Tom, and this is my other husband Severus'" she said with a pretend high voice.

He laughed. "That would be highly amusing, I'm sure."

"Even though I'm so different from my parents and we live in different worlds most of the time; we've always got along very well the few weeks I get to see them every year. I hate hiding something this important from them."

"Then, perhaps you should go see them, spend today with them. Severus and I can finish preparing for the ritual on our own. Since it is a Dark Ritual, it can not be done under the Sun anyway. Once the ritual is done, I'm afraid all of us will need to adjust to our new power level; and especially you. There's a very real risk that you will influence their minds if you go see them before you have yourself under control. The mind of a Muggle is frighteningly easy to bend and warp, even subconsciously for a powerful wizard or witch."

"Really? We will be that powerful?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"You are not doing this just for the added power are you?" she frowned suspiciously.

He shook his head. "Not entirely, no. We are doing this specific bonding ritual for the power; but we are bonding because we've found you to be a good complement to us. You are vibrant, smart and beautiful; our magic sings when you touch us. Simply, we've fallen for you. We want to share the power we have. Why not add to it, when it is possible to do so?"

"My, you are poetic this morning," another sleepy voice came from her other side.

"Morning, Severus," she smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss.

"Hey," Tom protested. "Why didn't I get a good morning kiss?"

She giggled and doled one out to him as well. "This is not the way I imagined the 'Horror of Hogwarts' and the 'Terror of Britain' spending their summers," she smiled.

Severus snorted. "We have not spent a summer like this in sixteen years, Hermione. I'm quite sure you already know how I spent the last sixteen years and you know what Tom suffered as Harry. We barely had five years together before the Fall, but those were mostly taken up by our plans for the war. This relaxed mindset is as new to us as it is to you."

Hermione decided to ignore the subject of the war and their more violent tendencies. "Tom, was Harry ever interested in me this way?"

"I was, Hermione. Only, my self image and confidence was too damaged by the Dursleys. Then, before I could gather the courage to say anything, Ron expressed interest and I stepped back. Dumbledore has much to answer for; he completely ruined both my childhoods."

"You know, it is quite difficult for me to remember you are also Harry. You are so very different. Actually, the both of you are quite different from your usual selves."

"Hermione, Tom Riddle was born in 1926. Harry was given all Tom's memories of a life spent traveling and learning before inadvertently turning himself into a Mad Dark Lord."

Severus caressed her arm from beside her. "And the Professor Snape you've learned to hate at Hogwarts is only a role I play, not what I'm really like. It's a role I enjoy playing, though," he winked.

"Bottom line, Hermione," Tom concluded. "The two of us are the Dark Lord Voldemort, with all that entails; but we are also able to relax like this in private. The Dark Lord is not _all_ we are. It's complicated, yet simple. Will you share this with us?"

She could not help smiling. "Yes, yes, of course I will. I find this whole thing quite exciting actually. Never before have I been challenged and wanted like this. I want to learn Dark Magic, Ancient Magic, Ritual Magic and Sex Magic or whatever I feel like without anyone telling me it's _wrong_

or _evil. _How could I possibly turn you down?"

"Perhaps because you do not also wish to learn cruelty along the way?" Severus asked.

"We're not nice men, Hermione."

"I don't care, you're wonderful to _me_. And you should know by now I have a vindictive streak as well. Just ask Marietta Edgecombe, I'm sure she'll testify I'm pure evil."

"We're taking over the British Wizarding World, not some prank. People will die, possibly at your wand."

"The Wizarding World of Britain needs to change! The bigotry is horrendous. The Light has ruled for a long time and discriminates against everything not Light. As a Dark Wizard or a Muggle-born you are worth nothing! Cross-breeds are worth even less, barely considered human. A pure Magical Creature, either dark or light is barely considered sentient even though they have a well developed society. All this need to change! So Yes, I wish to join you and the Dark Side, you are the only hope for the British Wizarding world to evolve and survive.

"Very well then, my little know-it-all Dark Lady, it's a deal!" Severus grinned.

"We'll put you in charge of our ideology, I'm sure we could use some adjustments, we have been quite bad in the discrimination-department too."

"I'm sure I will enjoy adjusting the view of Muggle-borns of some Purebloods in your ranks," Hermione smirked.

* * *

"Mum! Dad!" Hermione squealed in delight as her parents entered the restaurant they had agreed to meet at. She had tried to arrange to spend time with them but they'd been busy at the conference all day. She'd been lucky to have them meet her for dinner with Severus and Tom.

"I'm having flashbacks to class," Severus mumbled when she was off her seat and waving her hand in the air like a lunatic to get her parents attention across the room.

"Be nice, Professor!" Hermione elbowed him playfully when he stood up next to her.

Tom left his seat as well, though the two men followed at a more leisurely pace as she was hugging her parents fiercely.

"Mum, Dad, I want you to meet Tom and Severus," she grinned and slid her arm around Tom, who once again looked like a young God amongst men. They had debated letting her parents get used to her having a steady boyfriend her own age before they let her in on the fact that it was a triad and that they were already married, but in the end decided to try for the truth. Should it be too much for the elder couple, they could always Obliviate them and try again. Magic was quite handy with such things, after all; especially with Muggles.

"Hello," her father shook hands with first Severus and then Tom. "I'm David Granger," he gestured towards his wife, "and this is my wife Mary Granger."

Mary Granger seemed to be bursting with happiness as Severus put his lips to her knuckles in the old-fashioned way. "Oh, my, such a gentleman. I'm so happy my Hermione has friends to spend time with."

Tom took her hand also using the traditional greeting. Mary looked all kinds of flustered when he smiled brightly at her. "Tom Riddle, at your service," he nodded. "We heard from a mutual acquaintance that you had escaped England for the summer."

"Indeed," Severus nodded. "England could be quite hazardous these days...unless you have the right friends of course."

"Yes," Mary nodded. "I hear magicals born to normal people is in quite the danger. Can you tell me;

how much danger is our Hermione in?"

"Oh, don't worry, dear. Hermione is quite safe, and by association; you. No Dark Lord will ever come after you; not here, not in Britain. I can personally promise you that, Mrs. Granger," Tom vowed seriously.

"How do you know? Are you certain you can protect her?"

Hermione giggled. "He can protect me, Mum, I promise."

Mr. Granger was looking paler and paler as he seemed to remember something. He pulled her away from Tom. "Hermione," he began anxiously.

"What is it Dad?" asked Hermione.

"Wasn't Tom Riddle the name of that Dark Lord you told us about?" he whispered. "This guy doesn't look like any Dark Lord I ever imagined, but..." David ran his eyes down the colorfully dressed young man in front of them.

"Good observation," Severus added with a wink, having heard every word. He swung his arm around Tom. "He is."

"But...But...what... why...how?"

Hermione winced, here came the breaking point.

"How can I be here, with my right hand Death Eater, and acting all friendly with a Muggleborn and her Muggle parents?"

David nodded mutely.

"That is easy. Everything you know, or think you know, about Voldemort is probably false, propaganda from the Light Side, or willful lies from Severus here."

"I still don't get it? You did not kill Hermione's friend's parents?"

"Sixteen years ago; Voldemort was technically defeated when killing the Potters. My body was reduced to ashes and what was left of my soul attached to the body of the child. I decided to become a child, to grow up once again, since it would be impossible to hide that I was a grownup in a child's body any length of time. I became one Harry James Potter, your daughter's best friend these last six years. I love her Mr. and Mrs. Granger, no matter my plans for the rest of the world, I would never hurt Hermione."

Now they were gaping.

"I did not find out who I was until I was given back my memories a few days ago when I turned seventeen and Severus took me from my abusive relatives."

Mary looked him over once again. "You do not look seventeen, nor like Harry."

"I am a what is called a Metamorphmagus, a shapeshifter, as is Severus, we can look any way we wish." He held out his arms. "This is how I look when in private with the people I truly trust."

"You trust our daughter, and us?" her dad asked, his doubt rather obvious.

Tom nodded.

"Do you really expect us to trust YOU?" Mr. Granger cut back. "You could have done some magic to our daughter, to turn her head."

Tom's eyes turned hard. "Yes, I very much trust your daughter. I trust her enough to be here, telling you this, showing you who I really am. It was her wish for you to know about me, us. She did not wish to hide that she is entering a new phase in her life in the Magical World along with us."

"Hermione, dear. Are you sure you can trust these men?" Hermione's mother now added.

This massive doubt from her parents was not what Hermione had expected. They were usually so open minded. She closed her eyes in brief pain, she knew that once the doubts had taken root, there would be no turning them around. She took a deep breath and did what she needed. Her wand hidden under her wrap, she pointed it and whispered "Obliviate!"

"Backup plan, then?" Tom asked, eyes full of concern for her when she looked at him.

She sighed. "Yes."

They moved the dazed Grangers into a more secluded area of the restaurant. Tom and Severus changed their appearances as soon as they were out of sight from the rest of the patrons. Then the conversation started over.

"Mum, Dad, this is Harry Potter and Professor Snape from school. They're also hiding out in Greece this summer. I found them, just by chance, in the Magical areas of the city a couple of days ago…"

Hermione had to forcefully swallow her uneasiness at the lies they were forced into. At least now her parents wouldn't worry about her when she moved in with her friends instead of staying in her room at the hotel. In retrospect, she should have guessed the truth would be too much for them.

* * *

The bonding was a ritual where the separate personal powers were added to the partners', and did so every time it was performed with a new partner involved. When Tom had bonded with Severus, he had gained the younger man's innate talent for Potions and Mind Magic; as well as the vitality and strength of his Magic. Severus had gained even more strength, Parseltongue and Metamorphmagi talents. They had been truly equal, it mattered not that one of them had been more powerful to start with, they both gained.

Now they added a third person, it was like starting again. Tom felt Hermione's presence in his mind as soon as she drank their mixed blood. Her exceptional clarity of mind brought both Tom's and Severus' capacity for higher logical thinking to a never before imagined level. Not until he experienced it, was he able to conceive just how intelligent their new partner was; and he'd never been a slouch in the intellectual arena himself.

Never before had a Muggle-born, first-generation Magical been part of such a ritual. Tom was amazed at the pure vitality of the magic she contributed, it was completely untainted by any of the blood-based diseases and defects so prevalent in pureblood Britain. Tom himself had escaped madness and deformity by a hairsbreadth when his demented mother had fallen for a Muggle. Severus was the only magical child of his generation among the Princes, and that was probably because of his Muggle father. The Potter-body was also strong and vital from the infusion of his Mother's virginal magic.

The Trinity was born from the ritual, something practically unheard of in the Magical world for millennia. The Founders of Hogwarts had been a four part bond, the legend of their combined power was still very much alive in people's memories, even though they did not know how it had come about. Tom had read his ancestor's journals, he knew what they had achieved and how.

When he became aware of the world around them again; he tiredly opened his eyes to the world, absently wondering when he'd fallen out of the bed. He blinked at the blinding light and closed his eyes again with a wince. Oh, right, they were still in what was left of the ritual circle on the roof. They had passed out after the influx of new power and now the new day was starting.

A pair of dark sun-glasses materialized on his face at the vague need to protect his eyes while he checked on his bond-mates. He was also only vaguely aware that he didn't need his wand, total concentration, or incantation to do Magic; it just came to him automatically, at the mere thought.

He leaned over towards Hermione, she had fallen backwards, from her sitting position in the circle, just as he and Severus had. He smiled, she was even more beautiful now. She had an inner glow that heightened every feature; even her hair had a golden sheen to it, the tangles turned into a mass of curls around her head. He caressed her face almost reverently. "Time to wake, my Goddess!" he whispered into her mind.

* * *

Power - both Dark, Light and Wild - was infused into her very being. She took a moment to enjoy the delicious feeling before she opened her eyes to the world. The presence of her two companions positively radiated that same Power very close to her. They were more than just bonded, they were parts of her, as she was part of them. During the ritual they had briefly taken on the very shape of the others as they gained their power. Then, with one last flash, they had been pushed apart and once again returned to their true, original forms; Hermione, Severus and Harry.

She opened her eyes into the morning light, she could have sworn she heard Harry's voice calling for her to awaken. She snorted in amusement when her eyes landed on a Harry dressed only in black glasses leaning over her with a smile on his lips.

"That was awesome, wasn't it, Goddess?" He grinned enthusiastically.

"Indeed," came Severus' cool and calm one from next to them. She looked over to find him looking his young and handsome self. His true self, she reminded herself.

"Oh yeah," she agreed as well, still feeling quite out of it. She held a hand over her eyes against the increasing light. She'd never imagined the pure bliss of having so much magic pulsing through her body. A pair of black glasses appeared unbidden onto her face as well.

"How are you feeling, Hermione?" began Harry's voice and changed into Tom's darker timbre right in the middle of the sentence. "You had more to gain, after all. Sev and I were already powerful."

"I feel both off and marvellous at the same time. My body aches like after a vigorous workout, yet it is like I could do anything and still have power left over." She glanced at him and found him again to be back as young Tom, his preferred shape.

Severus chuckled. "You can."

She smiled, and at her brief desire, levitated off the floor holding her arms out. She felt light as a feather and let herself float around the warded rooftop they were on. "I can fly, and I know I will not fall," she giggled, twirling around. "No more flimsy brooms for this girl, oh no!"

Tom joined her, equally lightly, he laughed and swooped around her, as if he had been on his old Firebolt. They played above the still smirking Severus on the ground until Tom caught her and they let themselves slowly sink down on top of him.

"Let us enjoy the rest of today," Tom mumbled against her neck, between soft kisses. "Tomorrow, you start your Dark Lady training, Mrs. Snape-Riddle-Granger."

She blinked. "That is certainly a mouthful of a name."

"Formally, we all have it," Tom replied, looking up from her neck again. "Our True Magical Names are now Snape-Riddle-Granger, but we can still go by any name we wish. And, technically this body's name is still Harry James Potter even though the Magical soul occupying it is Tom Riddle's."

"And, don't forget we are also the Dark Lord Voldemort,"Snape added.

"You truly consider ME to be the Dark Lord as well?" She wondered.

"You are an equal part of this union: so yes, you are," Tom nodded "As soon as you have complete control over your powers, you will be able to take the form Severus created for us."

Silently, she considered it. What surprised her even more was that she did not mind at all. She had gained something from her companions that had not been there before. She was no longer the same compassionate young girl she had been. She had invited Darkness into her heart. She also knew she had given her partners some of her Light, though she suspected it would never overpower them as much as the Darkness was influencing her. "I knew I would change, guys. The Darkness you've given me is quite intoxicating."

* * *

Thankfully, they managed to spend the rest of the day recuperating undisturbed in their own bedroom. They spent the night partying at the club on the rooftop where they first met, greatly enjoying the pulse of the music and the crowd.

The next morning, Severus was awakened by the invisible medallion around his neck heating up.

"What's the matter?" Tom mumbled when his pillow moved away when Severus sat abruptly to check the message on the medallion.

Severus groaned. "Dumbledore is calling a meeting of the Order later today," he sighed. "I hate those bloody boring, useless meetings!"

Tom chuckled. "Want me to go?"

Severus looked at him beggingly. "Would you? Please!"

"I will, don't worry. Are they really that bad, though?"

Severus winced, as if in pain. "They are," he nodded. "I know you wanted in on those meetings as Harry, but they are terribly tedious, I'm afraid."

"I didn't really care about actually participating, I just I always hated being the topic of discussion but never informed about what was said, planned or done."

"What always disturbs me the most is how they expect you to perform according to their plans without you ever knowing about those plans. I was supposed to teach you Occlumency, but not allow you to learn the theory, or read any books on the subject. They told you nothing about why it was important, or what could be done through such a connection."

Hermione snorted in clear amusement from her position still on the bed.

"What?" Severus asked.

"I just realized. Dumbledore asked the very one responsible for those visions to help Harry block them."

"Indeed," Severus snickered.

Hermione looked between the two men., "How is it that you're not angry, Tom? He treated you like shit. He's responsible for your Godfather's death."

Tom nodded. "That's a good question, actually. The answer is: I, as Tom Riddle, bonded of Severus Snape, hated Sirius Black just as vehemently as Severus did. He mercilessly bullied Severus for seven years at Hogwarts: and, he tried to have him killed or at the very least infected with Lycanthropy. Now, as Harry Potter I was starved for any type of affection, Black was my one hope to escape my abusive relatives. I loved the IDEA of him, someone who was always on my side against all the other untrustworthy adults. The fact is though, I never truly knew him, did I? You spent more time around him than I did. When I got all my memories and power back: I reverted to the personality of Tom Riddle, fifteen years as Harry Potter affects me, sure, but who I am is Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle is bonded and in love with Severus Snape and positively loathes Sirius Black. Severus played his part, I cannot fault him for that. He had to see his loved one every day and never see love in his eyes, never recognition, never affection."

"I settled for the one true emotion I could get," Severus added quietly. "Hatred. To have seen indifference would have killed me."

"And with Death Eater children and Dumbledore so close, you could never even try for friendship or even mutual respect. It would have put the whole charade in peril," Hermione added. "I think I understand now."

"Good. Then, let's start honing your talents, my young wife," with that, Tom descended upon her with a predatory look in his eyes.

"Come and get it, old man," she giggled.

"Do not. ever. call. me. that." He intoned in between kisses that were definitely not those of an old man.

She squealed as he rolled them over so that she was on top, easily accessible by their partner.

To be continued...


End file.
